Sid's Letter
by blindbat1192
Summary: Sid's love letter to a special someone is forcefully intercepted by his ex-girlfriend Rhonda. But she would never have expected who the intended recipient of this love letter was for.


**Yeah, I probably should be working on some other stories I'm in the middle of, but this was kind of a "heat of the moment" one-shot I figured I should get on here. And yes, this takes place a little after the show, but everyone's still generally the same age as they were on the show. Hey Arnold! belongs to Craig Bartlett.**

* * *

Rhonda was beyond angry. She was furious. And no, to the surprise of many, it was not because something was wrong with her outfit, or that someone had the audacity to wear the same pair of clothes twice in a row. It was because Sid was delivering a love letter. To someone _other_ than herself. Or so the rumors went.

In Sid's defense, though, it had been at least a month since Rhonda and Sid broke up after a good six months of dating. Most people, especially his closest friends Harold and Stinky, had a feeling the relationship would not last, and it looked as though they were right. But Sid didn't try to play it cool or act as a player. He was clearly shaken up when he approached Rhonda that fateful day, telling her it was over. At the time, Rhonda acted like her confident self, saying that nobody dumps Rhonda Wellington Lloyd (_she_ dumps _them_), with Sid meekly saying he was now the first. Rhonda acted like she was okay for the next hour or so before excusing herself from class to the bathroom and shed every tear she held back during that hour, without even caring that her makeup had been running (though she was sure to fix it before returning to class).

So when Helga had pointed out what seemed to be obvious but had not yet been proven, Rhonda's patience wore thin.

"Guess big-nose is handling the break-up better than you, Rhondaloid," mocked Helga as she opened her locker.

"Bite me, Helga," growled Rhonda, "I'm over him."

"Then why are you so jealous over that love letter he wrote to someone else?" asked Helga.

"WHAT love letter?" asked Rhonda, trying to hide her jealousy.

"The one Sid was so desperately trying to hide from lard boy and Stinkmeister," Helga replied.

"He could have just been hiding a detention slip or a bad report card," said Rhonda defensively, "Lord knows he's not the best student in school."

"Actually, Rhonda," said Nadine, who had stood silently next to her best friend until this point, "While I would hate to disagree with you or admit that Helga has a point, in this case I have to. Sid has _no_ shame when it comes to his detention-worthy 'accomplishments'."

"Not to mention it's a good way for Harold to get back at Sid for all those times he made fun of him and his not-so-secret love for Big Patty," remarked Helga, "Especially if the person _getting_ that letter were to be someone who, say, stole Sid's affection from you?"

"Oh yeah?" asked Rhonda, "Well I'll prove you wrong! I'll prove you both wrong! And if by some small chance you're right, and it _is_ a love letter to some other girl...well, I'll make her sorry she ever stole what was mine!"

Rhonda stormed off towards Sid, who had no idea his ex-girlfriend was following him. She followed him through the cafeteria, past the courtyard, and into Gerald Field. Sid was cutting class by making this trip, and by default, since Rhonda was following him, she too cut out of school. But she was too blinded by emotion to bother keeping up with her attendance record.

"Got you!" Rhonda shouted from behind him.

"R-Rhonda!" Sid stuttered, hiding the letter behind his back, "Look, I know you might be a little sore about our...breakup..."

"Can it, Sid!" Rhonda shouted, "You think I'm pretty dumb, don't you? I know that's a love letter you're hiding behind your back!"

Actually, she didn't. Nor did she want to believe it. But Helga's argument was getting to her head, even more so when her best friend agreed with the terror of the fourth grade.

"Uh, eh-heh," Sid replied, "That obvious, huh?"

"Who is she, Sid?" Rhonda shouted, "Who is she? The girl you just _had_ to leave me for!"

"Rhonda, it's not like that!" exclaimed Sid, slowly backing away, only to find himself against the brick wall with Rhonda closing in on him.

"Oh, _really_?" Rhonda hissed, "Is it for Ruth? Connie? That blonde girl with the crooked ears?"

"Rhonda, just leave it be," Sid said, looking away, "You wouldn't understand..."

"I _understand_ the boy I _thought_ I loved happened to be fooling around with another girl behind my back!" Rhonda said, starting to choke up.

"Rhonda, you _really_ don't get it..."

"Then _make_ me get it! Let me see the letter!"

"No!"

"Fine! I'll just have to take it from you!"

"Rhonda! Wait!"

Rhonda had an advantage over Sid due to her height, so it was no small task, despite Sid being a boy, to reach behind him and rip the note from his hands. On the envelope was a pink heart near the seal. No return address, no mailing address. Rhonda ripped it open, cutting it a little too close to the actual letter, not noticing Sid cowering down in fear. Rhonda read the letter, not memorizing it of course, too blinded by rage to remember Sid's surprisingly poetic dialect, but she got the image. Some girl was his "one and only" and "no boundaries could stop me from loving you".

"Oh, this is rich!" Rhonda cried, now openly shedding tears, "I never ONCE got a letter like this from you for the SIX MONTHS we were dating, now some random girl gets a FUCKING POEM?"

"Did...did you see who it was for?" asked Sid, not looking Rhonda in the eyes.

"Oh, oh, right, I almost forgot about that," Rhonda hissed, "I almost forgot to see how you really feel about..."

Rhonda gasped and put her hand over her mouth when she read the name the letter was for.

"Sid...this letter...is for _Arnold_? As in Arnold Shortman? A _boy_?"

Sid didn't move. He didn't look at Rhonda. He didn't respond. Rhonda's rage had started to calm, being replaced by a more sympathetic tone. She kneeled down and put her hand on Sid's shoulder, prompting Sid to finally lift his head to look at her. He too had been crying. She could tell by the tear stains left on his face.

"Sid," Rhonda said softly, "Are you...in love with Arnold? Are you..."

"Yeah."

Helga had been half-correct. It was a love letter alright, but not for another girl. It had been for a boy. It had been for Arnold. Rhonda sat down next to Sid with her back on the brick wall.

"Is that why you broke up with me?" asked Rhonda.

"...yeah."

"So you don't hate me?"

"Why would I hate you, Rhonda?" asked Sid, "Just because we broke up? I don't think I could ever hate you...even if I can't love you like that."

"So...how long have you been...y'know, gay?" asked Rhonda, "And how long have you had feelings for Arnold?"

"I don't know when I realized I preferred guys," Sid replied, easing up a little, becoming more comfortable, "As for Arnold...I guess it was when he saved my life. I started seeing him as an all-around good guy you can depend on."

"Well, he _is_ an all-around good guy you can depend on," Rhonda said, "But have you told anyone else about..."

"You're kidding, right?" Sid asked, "People make fun of you for liking _girls_. Can you imagine the field day they'd have if they knew I liked _guys_? Why do you think I skipped school to drop this off?"

"Yeah, people can be cruel," Rhonda added, "So why did you tell _me_?"

"Well, you kinda left me with no choice," Sid replied, this time laughing, "On account of you ripping that letter from my hands."

"What are you, Stinky?" asked Rhonda, "On account of you saying his catchphrase?"

The two kids laughed with each other as if they were old friends rather than ex-lovers. The subject had changed briefly as they talked about their good times; their adventures on Elk Island, their trip to the opera, before Rhonda realized they had still been cutting school.

"Oh, shoot!" Rhonda exclaimed, "We're supposed to be in class!"

"Ah, don't worry," he said, "I'm sure I'll think of a good excuse by the time we get back."

Sid got up and offered his hand to Rhonda, which she gladly accepted. Though they didn't hold hands like they did as a couple, they were still glad to be in each others' company as they walked back to school.

"I guess you're officially the first gay friend I have," Rhonda remarked, "But do you...plan on telling Arnold how you feel about him?"

"I was hoping to at least get my foot in the door without exposing myself, hence the letter," Sid replied, "I don't know if I'm ready to come out to him just yet. I don't know what he'd say or what he'd do if I told him about my feelings for him."

"Well, at the very least, the worst he can say is no," Rhonda told him, "Trust me, Arnold is not the kind of guy to belittle someone just for being different."

"I know that," Sid said, "I just don't want to ruin things with him if he doesn't feel the same way about me."

"Well, if he doesn't," Rhonda replied, "At least there's one other gay person we know of you could shoot for."

"Thanks, but no thanks," Sid said, "Eugene's not my type."

Both friends laughed and went back to school. And though they never found a good excuse for skipping class (they both promptly received detentions from Principal Wartz, and would most likely get chewed out by their parents), they were glad to have had that moment between the two of them. Even if they couldn't be together, at least they could be close friends who would trust each other with their lives.

* * *

**I was going to wait a while to publish this, but with the recent events in Alabama surrounding Roy Moore (any word I would like to call him would get me banned from most websites), I figured this would actually be a good time to share this one-shot.**

**Feedback is greatly appreciated!**


End file.
